The Republic of Benin has appointed acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, producer and author Tonya Lewis Lee, as thematic ambassadors to African-Americans in the United States. The appointment is part of the West African nation’s efforts to strengthen ties with people of African descent across the diaspora.
According to French public broadcaster RFI, the agreement was formalized during the couple’s recent visit to Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital. As thematic ambassadors, the Lees are expected to support cultural and heritage-based initiatives that reconnect African-Americans and other members of the global African diaspora with their historical, spiritual, and ancestral roots in Benin.
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The Beninese government emphasized that the appointment aligns with its broader strategy to promote cultural tourism and heritage reclamation. In recent years, the country has introduced measures to encourage descendants of enslaved Africans to return, explore their heritage, and even pursue citizenship.
In 2023, Benin passed a landmark law offering nationality to individuals with at least one African ancestor who was forcibly taken from the continent during the transatlantic slave trade. The initiative complements the launch of a dedicated citizenship portal, where descendants of enslaved Africans can apply for nationality.
RFI reports that Tonya Lewis Lee herself was among hundreds who applied through the program and received a favorable response. She previously visited Benin in 2023 as part of that personal journey.
Benin follows in the footsteps of countries like Ghana, which declared 2019 its “Year of Return” to mark 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. That campaign saw a surge in visits from African-Americans and others seeking reconnection with their ancestral homelands.
Spike Lee, known for his pioneering work in film that addresses themes of race, identity, and justice, has previously stated that DNA testing traced his paternal lineage to Cameroon and his maternal roots to Sierra Leone. Tonya Lewis Lee has not publicly disclosed her ancestral origins, but both she and her husband have long been vocal advocates for civil rights and social justice in the United States.
In its statement, the Benin government said the Lees were selected because “through their long-standing commitment to justice, their exceptional creativity, and their global reach,” they have “profoundly shaped the contemporary narrative of the African diaspora.”
While the couple has not yet publicly commented on their appointments, public sentiment in Benin appears largely positive.
In Cotonou, Prospère Yehoume, a 27-year-old architecture student, told the BBC that the move sends “a strong cultural message, which could be good publicity for Benin.” Carlos Biogbé, a marketing professional, saw the potential for the initiative to attract international filmmakers and actors to work in Benin.
However, some citizens voiced mixed feelings. Basilia Hinvi, a secondary school student, welcomed the appointment but questioned why Djimon Hounsou, the Beninese-born Hollywood actor, was not similarly honored.
Benin’s coastal region, historically referred to as the Slave Coast, was a central departure point in the transatlantic slave trade. From 1580 to 1727, the Kingdom of Whydah, located along today’s Beninese shoreline, is estimated to have exported more than one million Africans to the Americas—including the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil.
By naming global cultural icons as emissaries, Benin hopes to reframe its tragic past into a platform for reconciliation, pride, and cultural revival, inviting descendants of the enslaved to rediscover their roots and reshape the narrative of identity and belonging.
